TEMPE, Ariz.- Former Arizona State University baseball player Dustin Pedroia is set to become the 85th Sun Devil to play in the Major Leagues after the Boston Red Sox called him up from AAA Pawtucket on Tuesday. Pedroia was a standout for ASU from 2002-2004, earning First Team All Pac-10 honors all three years he was in Tempe. He is expected to be in uniform for the Red Sox on Tuesday evening in Los Angeles, where the Red Sox will take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) was a second round draft pick of the Red Sox following his junior season at ArizonaState.

"When Dustin called me Monday night, my heart started jumping," said Head Coach Pat Murphy. "It's a real thrill as a coach to have been a part of this young man's career. It's a thrill to see him realize his dream of making it to the big leagues."

One of the most decorated players in ASU baseball history, Pedroia was a two-time All-American, a three-time First Team All Pac-10 member, the Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year in 2003 and a Golden Spikes Award finalist in his junior season. He hit .384 during his Sun Devil career and set a Pac-10 single season record with 34 doubles in 2003. He started all 185 games while at ASU and was a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year.

"It's amazing, having watched him since he was a sophomore in high school to now see him making the jump to the Major Leagues, it really means a lot," said Murphy. "I am so happy for Dustin and for his family. This is an exciting time for ASU baseball. We've got a lot of guys hitting the big leagues at the same time, like Andre Ethier and Jon Switzer, and we've got guys like Mitch Jones, Mike Esposito and Brooks Conrad who are knocking on the door, having great success at AAA. It's really a neat time for the program."

Pedroia was batting .304 for the Pawtucket Red Sox before getting called up on Tuesday. He was named the Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 earning an Eastern League All-Star berth.